


Dars Kavosk, Private Investigator.

by VKDragonTech



Category: Magic: The Gathering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-09 17:36:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11673879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VKDragonTech/pseuds/VKDragonTech
Summary: Dars Kavosk is a guildless private investigator on Ravnica. Operating out of Dimir-controlled territory, he deals with missing property, espionage work, and other mundane jobs for his rather eccentric clientele. His methods are simple and his attitude is gruff, but he'll get the job done.His rather uneventful day is spun on its head when an old friend comes in with a request; trail a possible guild traitor...





	Dars Kavosk, Private Investigator.

Chapter 1 - the Request

The early morning bustle of the marketplace drowned out the ringing noise in Dars' ear. It was back again, and this time it seemed to have a vengeance. Dars shrugged it off, and had tried to ignore it, but to no avail. So he decided to get some fresh air. Well, some air anyway. No guarantee of freshness in Dimir-controlled territory.

Dars strolled lazily but cautiously through the market. He watched the merchants and those things pretending to be merchants display their wares. There were intricate carpets and tapestries in a wide array of colours, depicting statuesque guild heroes, imposing dragons, and even ones with guild insignia adorning them. There were spice peddlers with hundreds of different jars, flasks and vials, in all sorts of colours and textures. There were glassware artists, potters, crofters, crafters, grifters, and some street performers. Everyone had something to sell.  
The smells coming from up ahead stirred Dars' appetite. He hadn't eaten breakfast, as he hadn't slept well the night before. Well, he hadn't slept the night before. Dars shambled over to a familiar stall selling cooked meats with sweet sauces.  
"Hello again Dars." said the elf running the stall.  
"Greetings, Aren. How is the cut today?"  
"Fatty, but flavourful. I caught it myself this morning."  
Aren was an average height, gaunt elf, with sullen blue eyes and thick, ragged brown hair. He had procured his market stall many years ago in a game of dice. The game went poorly, and he sill bore the scar over his left eye. He wore a long brown hat and a patchy, well-worn leather vest over a light tunic.  
The meat looked greasy and smelled peculiarly good.  
Dars ran his fingers around in his pockets.  
"I'll take two pieces, and some bread, if you've got it."  
Aren smiled.  
"I think I have some bread left from the other day."  
"Stale bread, eh?"  
"The meat'll bring back enough flavour."  
Dars wanted to forego stale bread, but his stomach had another idea. He gave Aren money for the food, and walked off.  
Dars found a nice corner to sit on, where there was enough light to warm it up, but not too much to make it hot. He pulled out his breakfast, and ate while watching the streets below.  
The morning brought the most business in the district, when the shadowy agents of the Dimir were least likely to be about. Of course, everyone knew they didn't need to see the Dimir to know they're there, especially when they're not there: that's the most likely time for them to be there.  
Dars disliked the Dimir. He disliked most of the guilds, their intrusive conflicts and petty politics constantly causing trouble for everyone. But he especially disliked the Dimir. He didn't appreciate people knowing things about him he'd rather keep private. He certainly didn't appreciate people holding said things over his head as some kind of leverage. The local guild representatives don't help his opinions on the matter, always threatening him and constantly badgering him for information about his neighbours that they probably already know.

Dars watched the sun start to climb towards it apex. He chewed the stale bread longer than he wanted to, and bit off another chunk of meat. From here, he could see the old clock tower, now covered in Izzet junk. He smiled at the memory of racing home before the bell struck six, at the smell of his mother's special spiced boar, of his family all together for dinner. Dars bit off another piece of meat.

Dars looked back at the clock tower. It was close to midday. He sighed, and got up from his corner. There would surely be somebody waiting for him. His assistant couldn't keep people waiting all day. 

The sign outside his office was hanging crooked, and the door was slightly ajar. Vera sat lazily at the small desk in the entry room. She was twirling a knife in her hands when Dars walked in.  
"Keeping busy?"  
Vera looked over from her desk to the door, looked at her desk, back at the door, back at the desk, looked at the cabinet sitting in the corner, then at Dars. She put her knife down on a small stack of papers.  
"Not particularly."  
She went to stand up, then stopped when Dars motioned not to.  
"There was a guy here. Earlier, I mean."  
"A guy."  
Vera twiddled her thumbs.  
"Yeah, a guy. Big, broad shoulders. Looked like he was a Boros guy, or something."  
"Was he wearing armour? Guild insignia?"  
"No, nothin' of the sort. Looked like he was tryna be kinda sneaky. Covert, you know?"  
"Did you get his name?"  
Vera filed through the papers on her desk, and pulled out a small, well-folded piece of paper.  
"He left this. It's very official. Real neat writing."  
Dars took the paper from Vera.  
It was a small, well-folded piece of paper, written in very neat, very flowery writing.  
"To whom it may concern," Dars began, "the local Guild operations in this district are in the early stages of being re-appropriated by the appropriate authorities. Do not be alarmed if you see militant forces, luminous conflagrations, or angels. These are simply the signs of the appropriate authority appropriating the district. If you have any concerns.." Dars trailed off before crumpling the letter up and throwing it on the floor. He sighed, removed his coat, and went into his office.

Dars pushed open the door to his office, and stopped in his tracks. Sitting on the chair nearest the door was a dirty, grubby-looking man, wearing some kind of brown clothing.  
Dars looked at Vera, who was cleaning her nails with her knife. He snapped his fingers, and she looked up.  
"Oh. Right. There was another guy here to see you. Grimy lookin'. Said he could wait in your office."  
Dars sighed. The man was standing now, and looked at Dars.  
"Good morning, mister Kavosk. I am here on behalf of-"  
"The Golgari, yeah. I figured."  
Dars motioned him to sit down and closed the door. He sat down in his own chair, and motioned for the man to continue.  
"I am here to discuss your business dealings with Taveson Renycz."  
The man spoke with a clear, yet gritty voice. His posture was remarkably well.  
"What do you want to know?"  
"Your, er, friend out there-"  
"Assistant"  
"Assistant, right. Your assistant was kind enough to provide us with a basic background on your history with Mr. Renycz, one that falls in line with the one he's given us. We'd like to know more about your business dealings with Mr. Renycz."  
Dars rubbed his chin.  
"We help each other out. Information, mostly."  
"What sort of information, Mr. Kavosk?"  
"The kind that helps me do my job, and the kind that keeps him doing his job."  
The man glared at Dars.  
"Your vagueness is not appreciated, Mr. Kavosk." He huffed. "Neither is your attitude."  
Dars looked at the man. He was rather scrawny. He could easily take him out. One good punch to his grubby face and...  
"All that I ask from you is that you provide the nature of the information you share with Mr. Renycz."  
Dars stared at the man. Yeah, he could probably knock him out easily. He looked at the man's sallow cheeks again. He had a patchy beard, likely grimy. Highly likely. Dars ruminated on this thought until a shriek from the waiting room interrupted it. Dars got up and opened the door.  
Vera had dropped the knife, and it lay on the floor in between her toes. Dars sighed, then closed the door. The man looked at Dars expectantly. Too late to punch him now.  
"I don't ask him for guild secrets, if that's what you're wondering. He provides me with usable intelligence for certain less than civil services I provide. In return, I do the same. I don't know to what capacity he uses the intelligence I give him." Dars sat down again.  
The man took this bit of knowledge in, then nodded.  
"Thank you for cooperating, Mr. Kavosk. I believe we're-"  
Another shriek from the waiting room interrupted the man. This was followed by a clatter of chairs falling over, or being thrown.  
Dars rushed over to the door and flung it back open. Vera was on one side of the room, brandishing her knife. On the other side was a cloaked individual, reeling from being hit by a chair.  
"He tried ta steal my necklace!" Vera shrieked. The cloaked man shimmered for a second, then removed his hood. It was actually a woman. The cloaked woman rubbed her forehead, then leant against the cabinet.  
Dars and the Golgari man watched this scene, then Dars tried to diffuse the situation.  
"Vera, are you okay?"  
Vera nodded quickly. She was hysterical, but otherwise unharmed. Dars turned his attention to the woman in the cloak.  
"How about you. What's your deal?"  
The woman shook her head, and rubbed her eyes with her palms.  
"What? No. What?!"  
Dars looked her over; she was wearing a long black cloak over a grey, leather-padded tunic. She had two knives on her belt, and a small satchel. Her boots were designed to walk quietly. Clearly, she was some kind of thief.  
"Are you okay miss?"  
She looked at Dars. Her eyes were sparkling, and she was still rubbing them. Dars stepped towards her and she darted the other way, tripped over the upturned chair, and landed on her face. She didn't get up.  
Dars turned to the Golgari man, who was watching the whole scene with a grin on his face.  
"I think you should go. I have something I need to clean up."  
"Certainly, though I will be back in a fortnight, Mr. Kavosk." He smiled, bowed, and left.

The woman on the floor groaned. She sat up and rubbed her forehead. Dars walked over and stood next to her.  
"Are you ready to talk, miss?"  
The woman blinked several times, looked around, looked up at Dars, and blushed. She started stammering and muttering to herself.  
"Miss? Are you okay?"  
"I. Uh. Why am I here..." Her voice was quiet and she was still rambling under her breath.  
"As far as I can tell, you came in here to rob us."  
The woman looked mortified.  
"What?! No! What?!! I. No! What?!"  
She rubbed her eyes again, harder this time. Her eyelids were red now, but the sparkling in her eyes was still there.  
"Why do you keep doing that, miss?" She looked up at Dars. He motioned her rubbing her eyes.  
"There's something in there, yeah?"  
"Y-you can tell?"  
"Well, it obvious that something's up. Your eyes are sparkling. If I had to guess, it's some kind of mind magic."

"Mind magic?!"  
Vera's outburst startled the woman, and she fell over backwards.  
Dars glared at Vera, then helped the woman get back up.  
"Do you know, um, how to..."  
"Stop it?"  
The woman nodded.  
"I have an idea, but you won't like it."  
The woman rubbed her eyes again.  
"Just make it stop. It hurts my head."  
Dars nodded, got up, and picked up the chair.  
"This will probably hurt a lot more."  
The woman looked wide-eyed at the chair, then at Dars, ruminated on it for a second, then nodded. She closed her eyes and braced herself.  
Dars inhaled, closed his eyes, and swung forwards.  
...  
Dars sat patiently outside his office. Vera was sleeping at her desk. He could hear her slow, steady breathing from over on the floor. He sighed and closed his eyes, resting his head against the smooth wooden panel. The bustle outside had slowed, as it usually did this time of day. Almost night. Almost time to go home and leave this problem for tomorrow. Almost. Dars sighed again. Almost never quite got there, did it?  
His office door opened, and the doctor walked out. Dars stood up quickly. The doctor closed the door. Dr. Opele was a dour man, stout and short, with a short messy beard and a short temper too. He looked at Dars.  
"She'll be fine."  
Dars exhaled and nodded.  
"Minor cut to the forehead and bruising on the forehead, chin, and left cheek, but otherwise fine."  
"What about the sparkling in her eyes?"  
"Gone. I guess your, eh, "alternative therapy" worked."  
Dr. Opele chuckled, then cleared his throat.  
"I don't recommend repeating that in future situations, though. There are professionals who handle this sort of thing, Dars."  
"Did you manage to find any trace of the spell?"  
"A little. Shoddy work, to be unraveled so easily, and to be seen at all is an amateur mistake."  
Dr. Opele pulled a small vial full of sparkling, wispy air of of his bag.  
"I recommend getting this analyzed, just to see if it's anything of note. Likely just some street charlatan, but it never hurts to be sure. Speaking of, when was your last appointment, Dars?"  
"Huh?"  
"Appointment. Medical checkup. I seem to recall it being, what, a few months at the least? Staying out of trouble these days?"  
"Trouble seems to find me just fine. Thanks, Wren."  
Dars took the small vial and shook Dr. Opele's hand. He went back in his office and heard Dr. Opele leaving, waking Vera up in the process. She yawned, stretched, and settled back in her chair. The woman was asleep on the floor, the desk and chair moved off to the side. Dars looked at the little vial of essence, and set it down on his desk. He sat down on the floor, and closed his eyes again.

"Hey boss, visitor."  
Dars grumbled, and stayed on the floor.  
"Tell them we're closed."  
"Not that kinda visitor."  
Dars grumbled again. He got up and walked out of his office.  
A well-dressed elf with short, wavy hair was standing against the wall. He smiled when Dars walked out.  
Dars looked at him lazily.  
"Hello Tavs."  
"Dars. How are you today?"  
"Poor."  
The elf nodded. He remained where he was, and looked at Dars, expecting something.  
Dars nodded.  
"Your friends in the guild were here today."  
"Aha"  
"You in trouble Tavs?"  
"No, I suppose not."  
"Then what's with the questions?"  
"They're suspicious of most guildless individuals, especially ones living... here..."  
"Yeah, the local representatives don't give us a good name, but at least I don't have to worry about my house being ruined all of a sudden."  
Tavs smirked.  
"You aren't a person of interest to the Golgari, so I wouldn't worry about the questions."  
"I'm not gonna wake up and have mushrooms growing out of my feet, am I?"  
"Did you ever have that happen with me?"  
"I suppose not. Just here to reassure me, Tavs?"  
Tavs stood up, and walked over to Dars.  
"Actually, I have a private matter I need to discuss with you."  
Dars nodded, and they walked into his office.  
Tavs looked at the woman on the ground, then at Dars.  
"A little inappropriate for the workplace, isn't it?"  
"She's a client."  
"Aheh, which kind?"  
Dars glared at Tavs. Tavs nodded back.  
"Okay then, the ones that pay you. What's her story?"  
"Don't know yet. She tried to rob Vera and I whacked her on the head with a chair."  
"Oh?"  
"She's been out since."  
"She's unconscious?"  
"Yeah. Asleep."

Tavs looked at Dars quizzically.  
"Whenever I'm hit over the head, the last thing I think about is sleeping."  
"Induced sleep. She asked for it."  
Tavs looked at the woman. She was so calm looking, so peaceful. He sighed.  
"She must be in some trouble, then. Do help her, Dars."  
Dars leant against the wall, and tapped his fingers in a slow, rhythmic motion.  
"What did you want to talk about?"  
Tavs sat down in the chair. He fiddled with his fingers for a few seconds and wiped his eyes.  
"I have need of your assistance."  
"Couldn't we have discussed this out there?"  
"No. It's too... close. Too secret."  
"Secret? Tavs, what is this?"  
Tavs exhaled.  
"I need you to follow a man who I suspect is a traitor to the guild."  
Dars sighed, exasperated.  
"You know I don't get involved in guild conflicts."  
"This is different."  
"How?"  
"He's not a spy. He's doing... something. I don't know what's up with him, but every one of his missions goes wrong and people end up dead."  
"Isn't death normal for you, down there?"  
"Not like this. Innocent people are dying, Dars."  
Tavs tone cut right through Dars, and he stood there in the silence, when the ringing in his ear returned. Dars stared off into the corner for a moment.

"Why haven't you brought this matter to the attention of your superiors?"  
"They don't see the problem. They're old and senile, and they see me as nothing more than a worrying kid."  
"Have you tried contacting... other authorities?"  
"What, Boros?"  
"Yes."  
"No help. They won't act unless they have proper reason to. And unless citizens on the surface are affected, they care nothing for us."  
Tavs stood up and walked over to Dars. He put his hand on Dars' shoulder.  
"I need your help, Dars. Just this once."  
Tavs' lustrous green eyes cut right through Dars.  
"You owe me, right? I seem to remember that."  
Dars sighed, and leant his head back.  
"Are you going to pay?"  
"Yes."  
"Half up front for guild matters. 600 zinos."  
"600?" When did you get so expensive, Dars?"  
"Not for the guildless. You know my fees, Tavs. I don't work for the guilds."  
"Right. I'll need to pay you tomorrow, then. I don't carry much money on me these days. Too much suspicion."  
"Perhaps you should dress differently."  
"I could be naked and everyone'd still know I was Golgari."  
"I could never tell. You hide it well, you know."  
Tavs rubbed his left arm.  
"Well... sure."  
They stood there in silence for several minutes, Tavs looking at his shoes, Dars looking at the ceiling.

"Was it my fault?"  
Dars looked at his friend. He was closed up, his arms crossed and his head down.  
"No."  
Tavs looked back at Dars.  
"It wasn't you, Tavs."  
Tavs smirked, and looked back at the floor.  
"Everyone else said that too, you know. 'Not your fault, accidents happen'.. Doesn't make me feel better. It still eats me up inside, Dars."  
Dars stepped over to Tavs and put his hand on his shoulder. Tavs laid his head down to the side. Dars put his other hand on the other shoulder, and pulled Tavs into a hug. Tavs buried his head into Dars' broad shoulder, into the rough-spun fabric of his coat.

They stood there for several minutes until Tavs tapped Dars on the shoulder, and Dars released the embrace.  
"Thanks."  
"You're a good person, Tavs. Too good. I'll see if I can handle your problem."  
Tavs wiped his eye.  
"Same price?"  
Dars smirked.  
"Same price, Tavs. I don't do discounts."  
Tavs nodded, smiled, and sighed.  
"What time should I come by tomorrow?"  
"Same time. If I'm out, leave the money with Vera. She's trustworthy."  
"Right. Bye, then, Dars."  
"See you Tavs"  
The two nodded, and Tavs opened the door to Dars' office. The sunlight streaked through the window every day at this hour, and it bathed the consultancy in a vivid orange light. Tavs shielded his eyes, said goodbye to Vera, who replied with an unenthused 'uhuh', and left. Dars turned once more towards the woman lying on his office floor. He should probably wake her. Probably.  
Dars walked towards the door.  
"Hey boss?"  
"Yeah."  
"You leavin'?"  
"Uh. Yeah. For a short while. I'll be back in an hour or so."  
"What if the lady sleepin' in yer office wakes up?"  
"Ask her where she lives, and escort her home, if possible. If not, she can stay with you."  
"Me? What? Why?! I have no space!"  
Dars chuckled.  
"You have more space in your house than I do in mine. Besides, you're better with strangers than I am. That's why I hired you."  
Vera huffed, pouted, went to say something, and stopped, exasperated. She nodded, and sat back in her chair, putting her feet up on the desk.  
"If anyone else comes in, tell them to return tomorrow."  
"Gotcha. Anythin' else I need ta know?"  
"Don't forget to lock up if you leave."  
Dars walked out the door, the small bell above ringing at the disturbance. He sniffled, adjusted his coat, and wound his way through the crowd to the district border.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave comments, criticisms, all that jazz. It helps motivate me to make more.


End file.
